Dr Fox said EU should compromise (Image: STEFAN WERMUTH/AFP/Getty Images)
The International Trade Secretary warned the refusal to make "very reasonable" changes to the proposed deal was "a strange thing on which to hang much of the economic wellbeing of Europe". He also predicted that ruling parties will be hammered in elections this year if they worsen the chances of a recession by allowing the UK to quit the EU without a deal.
In an interview yesterday he said: "This is a Europe that's got European elections, and a number of potential elections - a potential Spanish election - coming up.
There comes a point where politicians have to park ideological issues and recognise the importance and dominance of real economic issues."
His remarks come ahead of a fresh trip to Brussels by Theresa May on Thursday to try to break the deadlock in the Brexit negotiations.
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier was